We Found Love
by astridt244
Summary: When all is lost, love is found. - Emmett and Bella. Drabble-type story. (AH/OOC/AU)
1. Lies

**Pairing: **Emmett/Bella -AH

**Rating: **M

**Warnings: **It's rated M for a reason… that's all I'm saying.

* * *

"_**Just gonna stand there and watch me burn, well that's alright because I like the way it hurts..."**_

* * *

"She's not here."

Emmett touched Bella; his finger lightly traced the outline of her arm.

"I can't do this anymore."

She backed away from him and headed toward the front door.

_She belonged to him. He couldn't let her go. Not now. Not ever._

He was in front of her, blocking her escape. "No."

"This isn't up to you. I'm tired of being the other woman. You keep telling me you'll leave her and you don't. I broke off my _fake_ relationship with Edward because I couldn't fucking do this anymore. All these lies. Can't you see that I'm dying inside Emmett." Her dark eyes glistened with tears; her bottom lip trembled as she struggled to reign in the sea of emotions coursing through her.

"No." It was all he could say.

Bella tried to walk him, his presence large and imposing, even to her.

He prevented any move she made by stepping in front of her.

"Goddamnit Emmett! Stop! If you wanted me you would be with me! Just let me go. I'll disappear and leave you with your precious Rosalie." Anger and jealousy laced her words, causing him to falter for a beat. She moved around him, but he was still quicker. He turned her around and slammed her against the wall, knocking the wind out of her.

"Don't you get that she'll try to hurt you!" he bellowed.

"Get the hell away from me McCarty! I don't give a shit about _your wife_…" –she fought to regain her composure– "…this thing between us is over. I'm done."

She tried to leave again; he was having none of that. He pressed himself against her back, and wrapped his arms around her small, trembling body. Her tiny sobs broke his heart.

"I need you, Bella. Don't leave me. Please?"

She hated how much she loved him. He knew where and how to touch her. He knew what to say to weaken her resolve. His cologne drove her crazy with lust. His tall, muscular body, and that sinful tongue ignited a fire within. The minuscule part of her brain screaming at her to leave remained ignored.

She turned in his arms and looked at him. "I hate how much I want you."

He hitched up her skirt and ripped off her panties. Her labored breath encouraged him to go further. "I hate how much I love you."

She unzipped his pants, hauled herself up and wrapped her legs around his waist.

He yanked her head back and licked her throat. He shifted her hips, pushed her against the wall again, and thrust himself inside her tight, warmth. Her body betrayed her with pleasurable sensations.

She bit his shoulder, hard, smothering her screams of ecstasy. In and out, over and over, he violently thrust into her with a fierce determination, showing little mercy. Her orgasm hit her with such a brutal force it caused her vision to waver. Her sharp nails raked his back; her teeth dug into him further, drawing blood.

He grunted and spoke so low she almost didn't hear the things that slipped from his lips - _love you... fuck... so good... _The intense craving to prove to her that she belonged to him was overwhelming.

"_Can't leave. Need you_." he said through gritted teeth.

She was mindless. Pulling his hair as well, sucking on his lips, tearing at his flesh. She needed him almost as much as he needed her.

No one claimed loving another was the sanest thing to do...

* * *

_Lyrics from Song: Love the way you lie_

_Artist: Eminem_

_Album: Recovery_


	2. Give

Continuation of the last...

* * *

**"… _And you can see my heart, beating,_**

**_You can see it through my chest..."_**

* * *

Two blue lines - _positive._

Bella sat on the side of the bathtub, staring at the white stick in her hand. A thousand thoughts wormed their way to the forefront of her mind. The painfully obvious one being she had to put a stop to her affair with Emmett.

Did he even have a right to know? He was married, and showed no signs of ever leaving Rosalie.

Unless...

_No_. Bella stopped that train before it left the station. She could do this alone. She would be strong, and she would be both mother and father.

Charlie would have been disappointed, but in the end he would have accepted any decision she made. Unfortunately, he's gone and will never get the chance to know his grandchild... _her baby._ An unexpected sob ripped through her. Her heart ached knowing that this might not change anything with Emmett. She loved him. Flaws and all, he was perfect for her.

She put her face in her hands and allowed herself to cry. One good crying session, and then she would break things off with him. She couldn't see him. If she saw him, he would change her mind and it would end with them in bed.

_That's what got you into this mess._

Bella dried her face, dressed in her pajamas, and grabbed the cell phone before sitting on her couch.

How did you do things like this? Text? No, too impersonal. She needed to be safely away from his presence. He weakened her in the knees just by looking at her, and he knew it. The only option was a phone call. Big girl panties are on...

"_Forks Police Department, Officer Hodges speaking. How may I help you, Sir or Ma'am?"_

"McCarty, please?"

"_One minute."_

- Bella gnawed at her fingernails and held her breath.

"_Officer McCarty. How may I help you, Sir or Ma'am?"_

"..." - the words caught in her throat. Panic filled her as she held the phone in a death grip.

"_Hello?"_

She cleared her throat, "Emmett, it's me."

"_Bells? What's wrong, babe?"_

The tears slipped down her cheeks, her heart constricted in pain. She loved him enough to tell him and then let him go. "You can't-I mean... We can't see eachother anymore. It isn't-I'm not an option. This is the last time you'll hear from me."

"_You don't mean that."_

He wasn't being a jerk. She knew that. She understood she'd said this to him before, and never once did she truly mean it. Not like now.

"I'm sorry, Em. I have to think about me. It's not entirely your fault, it's mine too. I can't keep being second best. I don't want to be like this."

_Silence on the other end..._

"There's something else. I'm-"

"_Are you seeing someone else?"_

"Of course not... Is what you think of me? That I'm some kind of easy fuck? For your information, jackass, you're the second and last man I've slept with... God, you're such a dick!"

"_Look, I have to go. A call came in to the station and I gotta head over to the res. When I get off work-"_

"No! No more, Emmett. This is it. Goodbye."

The line went dead.

_He wouldn't come here. He'd be nervous about her neighbors seeing him. Right? - _Bella shook those thoughts out of her head. He said a call came in, so he left. It had nothing to do with her.

* * *

_Turkey sandwich? Maybe?_ Bella sniffed at the cold cuts and felt the bile rise in her throat. She made a beeline for the downstairs bathroom and wretched up the tea and crackers.

She splashed water on her face and wiped her hands on her shirt. _I guess baby didn't want turkey. _A soft smile played at her lips. A baby. Her baby. She was so lost in her thoughts, she didn't notice the tall man standing in her living room.

"We are going to talk, Bells."

Bella jumped at the sound of his voice. "Emmett! W-what are you doing here?!"

Emmett drove straight to Bella's after the situation on the res was handled. He asked for the rest of the day off, and told his partner that if his soon-to-be ex wife called, to tell her he would come by later to pick up some clothes. There was no way in hell he would be leaving _his _Bella.

He knew he wasn't the smartest man around; he never claimed to be. Perhaps that was why it took what happened today to wake him up. It always seemed as though Bella enjoyed their trysts even after they confessed their feelings.

Her forceful tone this afternoon, what she said, and the fact that she hung up on him made him realize just how much this situation pained her.

Truth be told, he planned to leave Rosalie. The last time they were together as husband and wife was over a year ago, before he started to see Bella. Emmett knew his "wife" had a boyfriend in Seattle. He pulled the boyfriend, Quil, over when he was visiting family on the res. He made it a point to do a background check. _The many advantages of being a cop. _Quil seemed like a good guy, and completely oblivious to who Emmett was.

Bella's soft voice swayed him from his thoughts, "Emmett..."

He gazed at her lovingly, his voice full of emotion. She was so beautiful, and had this slight glow to her skin lately. _Breathtaking_. "I need you."

He crossed the room and kissed her. She tasted so good. He couldn't live without this, without her touch, her flavor, the aroma of her skin. The deep seeded ache he had for her overwhelmed him.

Bella yanked him down by his hair, crushing their lips together. A voracious yearning for Emmett consumed her. She ripped open his uniform shirt, desperate to feel him against her. He made quick work of his belt, tossing his holster on the couch, clawing at her tiny pajama bottoms. She turned around and braced herself on the arm of the couch.

He traced the curve of her spine with his fingertips, smacked her bottom playfully, then bit one of her cheeks. She gasped and reached behind her, yanking on his hair. "Foreplay... later. Inside. Now."

He pressed light, sweet kisses up her back, then thrust deep inside her tight, wet warmth.

She tried to hold onto the couch, to keep her feet on the floor, but every time he pushed inside her she barely hung on. "Em. Floor. Something-_oh, __fuck_."

He smirked and nipped at her neck. "We're not done by a long shot, babe."

* * *

_Lyrics from Song: Russian Roulette_

_Artist: Rihanna_

_Album: Rated R_


	3. Selfish

**Do not own Twilight.**

* * *

"_**Until it disappeared,**_

_**From me,**_

_**From you..."**_

* * *

Rosalie tapped her nails against the dinner table. Emmett's partner, Newton, called to inform her that her soon-to-be ex husband would be by later to pack some clothes.

Infuriated didn't even begin to describe how she felt.

Emmett's never been one to be rash or to suddenly change his mind. That was one of the things she loved most about him. She could always count on him to come home from work at the same time... until today.

* * *

_-2 Years Prior-_

_She threw the negative test in the trash. Angry tears blurred her vision. _

_Why couldn't she have the one thing she wanted? She was healthy, she took her vitamins, exercised regularly, and still nothing. Not even a false positive._

_She heard the bedroom door open. _

_"Rose, I'm home!" Emmett's normally welcome booming voice annoyed her as of late. _

_"I'll be out in a minute." _

_She wiped her eyes and splashed cold water on her face to cool down the furious flush. _

_He finished unbuttoning his shirt and beamed at her when she opened the bathroom door. She should have smiled back. She should have remembered that getting pregnant takes time. She should have cared... but she couldn't. Every failed attempt, every month, chipped away at her. _

_Ticking clock... limited time..._

_"What did you do today?"_

_She stared at him. "I took a test."_

_He approached her warily before prompting, "And..."_

_Ticking... Ticking... Time... Negative... __his__ fault._

_"Rosalie!" His hands were wrapped around her shoulders, shaking her. _

_In that moment he wasn't her husband. He was the cause of her torment. Of her inability to conceive a child._

"_Get your hands off me," her chilled tone shocked him. _

_He ran his fingers through his hair and stepped away from her. "You zoned out, and I didn't know what to do. I wasn't tryin' to hurt you, Rose. You know I'd never do that."_

_Her emotionless laugh made his skin crawl. _

"_You do hurt me. Every time I take one of those tests and I see one line instead of two, you hurt me."_

"_I don't understand, Rose."_

_She glared at him, clenching and unclenching her fists. "It's your fault I haven't gotten pregnant. All that easy going bullshit attitude, eating like a pig, and drinking those sickening beers. You don't give a damn about having a baby. You don't give a damn about anything!"_

_He shot her a disgusted look. "You think this is because of me? - You know what? Get off your fucking high horse. You wanna blame me? Fine. But guess what, sugar. It's just as much your fault as it is mine. I do all the damn work while you lay on your back. In case you forgot, it takes two."_

_How dare he? She did not even realize she slapped him until she saw a reddish palm print on his cheek. _

_Emmett's breathing labored, his hands shook from the hatred his wife planted within him. "I think it's best if I go get some air."_

_He flew out the door, slamming it shut. _

_Thirty minutes later, she decided she was going to go out. Let him stew in the mess he created of their marriage. The longer he was gone, the more she began to question why they were even together. _

_She grabbed her keys and drove to Seattle. _

…_-...-..._

_The bar was loud, blaring a steady stream of classic rock and blues music. _

_Rosalie tinkered with her watch, it read 1:30 a.m. She pulled out her cell phone - 21 missed calls, 17 unread text messages. Wasn't she supposed to feel guilt at not answering her husband? She tried to feel it, to force herself to worry; but there was only emptiness. _

_She sighed, declaring the night another one of her many failures, and stood to leave. A warm, caramel colored hand wrapped around her wrist. She gazed up into hypnotic, dark brown eyes. _

"_Stay. I'm not a creep, I swear. I've been trying to get the balls to come up to you and introduce myself. I'm sorry it took a while. I saw you about to leave, and I couldn't let you walk out the door without knowing your name." His playful smirk made something inside of her tingle. She smiled back at him, taking a moment to appreciate his appearance. Tall, dark, and devastatingly handsome... definitely her type. _

_She extended her hand and took his in her own. "Rosalie."_

"_Beautiful name for a beautiful woman."_

_She blushed and suddenly found the dirty floor of the bar very interesting. His long finger touched her chin, tipping her head back. His full, lush lips called to her in a primal way. _

"_I'm Quil. Can I buy you another drink?"_

* * *

The rattle of a key at the front door alerted her to Emmett's arrival. She looked at the clock on the microwave, 8:43 p.m. Newton called at 3 in the afternoon. Where had Emmett been?

He made his way into the kitchen and sat across from her. Tension filled the silence between them. She noticed the smile on his face before he saw her and the clothes he was wearing. He was not in uniform... _he changed_.

She stopped making noise with her nails and cleared her throat. "So... soon-to-be ex-wife, huh?"

He let out a breath and ran his fingers through his hair, a nervous tick he did when he was frustrated. "We need to talk."

She agreed. Knowing full well this conversation would end her marriage of ten years.

* * *

_Lyrics from Song: To Build a Home_

_Artist: The Cinematic Orchestra_

_Album: Ma Fleur_

* * *

Flowing it. Seeing where it goes. Still drabble-type style. Since this is going somewhere, no clue where right now, I'm taking off the "complete" tag.

Finals this week, and working on updates for my WIP's. Thanks for reading.


	4. Truth

Continuation from last...

* * *

**"_Never forget what a man says to you when he is angry." - Henry Ward Beecher_**

* * *

"Rosalie, get off me."

"Why are you doing this?"

"I don't love you anymore. I told you. We haven't been husband and wife for over a year. We're roommates."

"I can fix things."

"You can't."

"Please Emmett..."

Why didn't he just leave? _Oh, right._ She cried. His one weakness - _a woman crying._ He hated seeing it. Even more so when he was the cause of it. So he reached over and touched her hand - _big mistake._ She reacted, quickly, by sitting in his lap. It made him uncomfortable and unnerved him. He just wanted to go back home, to Bella's, not console the woman he once considered a wife.

He stood, lifting her with him, and placed her in his chair. He paced the living room, needing a second to simply breathe. She went to him and stood in his path. He jerked his body away from her. "Don't start with that shit!"

She narrowed her eyes. "We _are _going to work this out. You can't just give up. That's not like you."

"I gave up a long time ago. I stayed out of some misplaced sense of loyalty to you. It's over though. Giving me shit isn't going to make this better. Christ Rosalie, you've got a boyfriend! Think about him for once."

Her jaw dropped in shock... _he knew_... but how?

He laughed and shook his head. "I'm not mad... not anymore. I was. Then - well I moved on. Quil seems like a good guy."

"How do you know his name? What-who... Did he tell you?"

His loud laughter made her skin crawl with renewed annoyance.

"I'm a cop, remember? You're not as sneaky as you think. Hell, you may as well have been fucking him in the same room as me."

She was stunned silent. He knew and he didn't care. Not anymore. He moved on. _What the fuck did that mean?_

Rosalie leveled a glare at Emmett, "You moved on. Is that what you said?"

He refused to answer her question. Instead, he went to their old bedroom closet, snatched up the duffel bag, and stuffed clothes in it.

She followed him. "I asked you a question."

"I heard. Yep, I moved on. You did too. Quit making this some kind of fucking blame game bullshit."

"Oh, I see. Is that how it is? You can talk about my boyfriend, but I can't ask about your _whore_?" She sneered.

His movements ceased. Every muscle in his body tensed.

She couldn't stop herself. It was as if her filter had been obliterated. "Does she make you feel like I did? Does she enjoy what was mine first?"

He turned around and looked at her. His blue eyes shone with absolute hatred. "Make your peace with our impending divorce. Keep in mind that I got a lot of dirt on you. Pictures, cell phone bills, and the number of an oblivious, love-struck guy in Seattle."

With that, he zipped his bag closed, and left the house.

* * *

Rosalie's fury got the best of her once again. She grabbed her keys and waited until he pulled out of the driveway, onto the street, then turned left. One thought ran through her mind as she trailed two cars behind him - _who the hell was this whore?_

Never in a hundred years would she have guessed. Not unless she saw with her own eyes; and she did. She watched him take his bag out of the trunk and walk up to a small, white house. A woman who appeared slightly familiar opened the front door, jumped on him and smothered his face with kisses. He laughed - _free, open, happy_ - and kissed her back. When the woman pulled away from him and giggled, Rosalie's recognized her - Bella Swan.

* * *

Un-beta'd. Woke up to write this. Couldn't get it out of my head. I thought the quote was fitting for not only men, but also women.

Thank you LilyAurora for pre-reading.


	5. Need

Important Note: A reader asked about ages, so here's the background info that I lacked when I extended this. Bella, 27 – Emmett, 30 – Rosalie, 30 – Edward, 26 – Quil, 25.

* * *

"_**You are my purpose... You're everything..."**_

* * *

Emmett gazed adoringly at the woman he loved. While he was gone, she cleared out some drawers, and made space in her closet for his uniforms. Every time she caught him staring, her cheeks would turn pink. So beautiful.

"Mr. McCarty, it's not polite to stare," her light tone warmed his heart. After what happened earlier in the day, he was thankful he had the chance to set things right with her.

"I'm just appreciating the view."

He grabbed his hygiene bag and went to the bathroom. After setting up his side of the medicine cabinet, he accidentally knocked over the toothpaste and a ziplock bag. The white stick inside made his stomach clench. What the-

"Surprise." Bella wrapped her arms around him, pressing her face into his shirt, breathing in his cologne. She purposely left the test where he would find it. Perhaps she should have been more romantic about it, but that just wasn't them. She loved him for everything he was and everything he wasn't.

Emmett turned around and dropped to his knees, nuzzling her stomach. His voice choked with emotion, "It's real? I'm not dreaming? Us and a baby?"

She threaded her fingers through his hair and whispered, "Yes."

He stood and picked her up, causing her to yelp in surprise. She giggled and didn't protest to him taking them to bed. He laid her down and kneeled in between her legs. "Love you."

He fought with her pants, growing frustrated. Bella laughed and helped him by taking them off. All humor left her when he pressed his mouth against her sex, breathing on the warm, damp material, "Is it sick that I love how you smell like us? Like sweetness and come?"

She fisted the sheets, attempting to control herself, "No, it's not-"

His teasing laugh made her smile in spite of their compromising positions.

"You like how I am, don't you Bells?"

She closed her eyes, determined to not think about anything that wasn't Emmett and that luscious mouth of his. He yanked down her panties and leaned in closer, massaging her thighs as he went. The stubble on his chin caressed her first, then a feather light kiss to her nether-lips. He groaned and swiped his tongue over her clit, "Mmm, tastes even better."

"Oh, god," Bella cried out.

The tip of his tongue traced her folds, his lush lips sucked on her sensitive flesh, leaving her gasping for oxygen. On and on the torture continued, alternating between savoring her flavor and attacking her clit with a forceful hunger. She bit her lower lip, tears forming; she was ready to beg him to let her come. Except, he didn't stop to slow his pace.

Her heartbeat pounded in her ears. His lips latched onto her swollen bud, causing the tight knot of pressure to snap. A loud, weeping cry ripped from her throat. Electric jolts coursed through her as her orgasm was siphoned from her body by Emmett's talented mouth. "_Fuck_!"

Emmett smirked and licked his lips clean. He crawled up the bed to lay down next to her, peppering her torso with kisses while Bella came down from her bliss. He couldn't picture a life without her. Sex with Bella was more than physical. He vowed to show her every day how much he needed her.

* * *

_Lyrics from song: Everything_

_Artist: Lifehouse_

* * *

Side Note: Sorry for the wait. Hopefully any questions will continue to be answered as we go along. This story is evolving as is. Not sure how many chapters there will be. Winging it. :) I'm pretty fond of this Emmett.


	6. Brother

**"_But better to be hurt by the truth than comforted with a lie." - Khaled Hosseini_**

* * *

Rosalie stood outside Edwards door, contemplating on her next move. She couldn't explain how she felt; she knew things with Emmett were over, but she did not want him to move on... _Selfish_? Yes.

And then there was Quil. He had no idea she was married... _When did life get so complicated? _

Edward opened the door, shocked to see his sister. "Rose. What brings you here?"

"Can't I come visit my brother?"

He gave her an exasperated look. She rolled her eyes, "Fine. I need your help."

He tightened the robe around himself. "With?"

"Aren't you gonna invite me in?"

He raised his eyebrow at her and chuckled. "That would be a _no_. I have company dear sister. Nicer company that I would like to get back to."

She glared at him. Angry at the wrench thrown into her plans. "Do you remember Bella Swan?"

He thought for a brief moment, then smirked and shook his head. "Oh yeah, I remember Isabella. Been a few months since I've thought of her."

A small glimmer of hope burned within her. Maybe there was a chance to do something about this situation. She abhorred being pathetic. She detested being dumped. Emmett was her safety net.

_You're being pathetic, and you're not moving on. Something you've wanted to do for a long time now. _Stupid inner voice. The glimmer of reason attempting to thwart her plans. She pushed it aside, as she always had in the past.

"How did things end between you two? Was it mutual?"

"What's going on? Why are we talking about an ex of mine?"

"Just answer the question!"

He pinched the bridge of his nose and huffed in irritation. "It was mutual. We both needed different things. She was relieved and so was I, to be honest. We were like oil and vinegar."

A small hand wrapped around Edward's bicep. He smiled down at the woman who appeared next to him. "Is everything okay? I got worried when you didn't come back to bed."

He kissed her forehead. "It's fine Jess. My sister is having a psychotic break. Go on back to bed. I'll be back soon."

The woman glanced at Rosalie and shrugged, then kissed Edward's arm and disappeared inside the house. Rosalie tried to come up with a reason for her brother to help her. This was her only 'in' with getting rid of Bella Swan.

"Emmett left me."

Her younger brother laughed heartily at the news. "It's about damn time. You've been basically flaunting Quil in front of him."

"No, I have not," she bristled. "Besides, he left me. No one leaves me. Especially not my husband."

"Did you think he would stick around forever? You two have no kids, you haven't been 'together' from what you've told me in a long time. You share a mortgage. That's not marriage, that's convenience."

Her cell phone rang... _Quil_. She was supposed to meet him an hour ago. Edward ran his fingers through his hair. A nervous habit he picked up from their late father. "Let it rest Rosie. I know you. Your mind is going ninety to nothing right now. Move on."

"You sound like Emmett."

He shuffled his bare feet and leaned against the door frame. "He wasn't a bad guy. Go meet up with your boyfriend. Be happy. Whatever Bella Swan has to do with this," -he gestured to her appearance- "let it go. Rejection hurts, no matter who's doing it."

She grew tired of his 'words of wisdom'. He had never been rejected a day in his life. Their parents adored him. Their father thought the sun rose and fell with Edward. Coming here was a mistake she would not repeat again. For now, she needed to clear her mind.

She started the car and selected Quil's name from the caller list. "Hey. Sorry about not answering. I was with my brother. Are you still at the bar? I could use a drink."

His deep voice soothed her in a way. She forgot how good it felt to talk to him, "Yep. Waiting on my gorgeous girlfriend."

She smiled and headed down the highway to Seattle.

* * *

_Side Note: So we got some more information. Still in drabble-type format. No, Ed's not a bad guy here. Shockingly, this fic is coming out in spurts. Wonder where it'll take us... ;)_


	7. Memories

Note: A reviewer mentioned if Edward was a possible baby daddy, and the answer is no. Hope that put any doubts to rest. Now, we get back to our couple...

* * *

"_**I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be." - Douglas Adams**_

* * *

Emmett ran his fingers through Bella's hair; he loved doing this. Cuddling after being intimate with her was one of his favorite things to do. She lightly snored in her sleep, he thought it was cute. She also mumbled a lot, usually his or her father's name.

She stirred when the sunlight shone on her face. He held her closer, breathing in the scent of her skin.

"Mmm... like wakin' up like 'is," she babbled, still half asleep.

He smiled at her adorableness, and nuzzled the back of her neck. "Me too."

They laid there for some time, neither wanting to face the work day. She turned in his arms and kissed his chest, right above his heart. Emmett touched his lips to her forehead, then voiced a thought that had been lingering, "If the baby is a boy, I want to name him after Charlie."

Bella's eyes misted over, and a lump formed in her throat, "I'd like that."

He stroked her naked back, soothing the sadness he knew she still carried. It was how they'd met... at Charlie's funeral.

* * *

_The warnings are tossed back and forth before going into a dangerous situation. Every cop knows them by heart, but they still remind each other. _

"_Make it back in one piece."_

_Charlie being the Chief was a role model for the force. He lived for his daughter, and he loved the town. Because of this, it was no shock when he was the first on site at the General Store. Bella had been grocery shopping when a drifter came creeping through the store. An uneasy anxiousness overcame her when she saw him, so she called her father. Charlie and Emmett were on their way to the high school for career day when the call came in. Bella was whispering, slightly panicked, then the color drained from Charlie's face when he heard gunshots. _

"_Put the fucking phone down! Get your ass up here and take your shit out of your purse!"_

_Charlie dropped the phone and stormed out of the police station hollering for every available unit to follow him, 211 in place. _

_Emmett rode with the Chief, and did everything in his power to assure him that they would get there on time. Nothing would happen to Bella. He'd never met the girl, but Charlie spoke of her often. She was his pride and joy. _

_When they reached the store, the man had Bella in a headlock, waving his gun in the air. The Chief put down his weapon and held his hands up to show he wasn't a threat. _

"_Get the fuck away from here! I'll kill her! I swear I will!"_

"_There's no need for that. Tell me what you want, and we'll help."_

_Emmett and Collins crouched down low and made their way to the other side of the store with their sniper rifles. _

"_I want my goddamn money, and I want to get outta here!"_

"_We can do that... how about you let the girl go. Then you and I can talk some."_

_Emmett looked through the scope, assessed the odds and the situation, then radioed to Uley. "Target locked. Waiting on the green light."_

"_10-4. Collins, status?"_

_Collins steadied, then radioed in as well. "Target locked. Waiting on the green light."_

"_Wait on the signal from the Chief. Green light at the signal."_

_Charlie stepped closer to the young man, he couldn't have been more than 24 years old. "What's your name, Son?"_

"_None of your fucking business." He tightened his hold on Bella, her eyes began to close, the Chief felt like his heart was being ripped out of his rib-cage._

"_She's going to pass out, Son. Let her go, easy, and I'll trade places with her."_

_The man appeared as though he was contemplating the offer... then his features twisted as a realization dawned on him. "She's someone to you, isn't she?"_

_The Chief didn't answer. His stride at a snail's pace and steady. He had to get to her. _

_The man barked out a laugh, and squeezed her roughly. "Seems like I've got me a bargaining chip. I'll let the bitch go, if you clear the way and let me leave with my money."_

"_That sounds reasonable."_

_Sweat formed on Emmett's brow. One clear shot. That was it. Then this nightmare would be over._

_The cashier behind the counter poked her head out, saw an escape, and gave no thought to any of the other hostages. She scrambled to her feet and shot off toward the back of the store. The gunman heard the movement, turned around, and aimed at the girl. Bella's eyes opened for just a second, she reacted on instinct and elbowed the man in the gut. _

_Charlie rammed into the man's back, tackling him to the ground. Bella scurried away, looking for a weapon to help her father. Emmett and Collins dropped their rifles and ran to help the Chief. _

_Screams echoed through the store. _

_Several gunshots were fired. _

_Collins spoke into his attached radio, "We need an ambulance! Officer down!"_

.

.

.

_Bella focused on the mahogany casket. She felt... nothing. _

_It had been a week since her father was killed. The first night, she refused to leave his body in the morgue. Dr. Gerandy had to have her sedated after she attacked a nurse attempting to move her. _

_A warm, large hand grazed her shoulder. She peeked up and saw her father's deputy, McCarty. _

"_He is-was... I'm sorry. He... Charlie was a good man. He loved you."_

_Fresh tears stained her cheeks once again. "I miss him."_

_Emmett noticed they were the last ones there. Bella was lost in her thoughts the entire ceremony. He delivered the eulogy when the deacon attempted to call out to her three different times. She looked so lost. The Chief's death fell hard on every police officer at the station. He and Collins took it the worst. _

"_I miss him too."_

_She gazed up at him, those dark, soulful eyes burned him from the inside out. He had no inkling as to why she affected him so much. _

"_Thanks, McCarty. It... well, he spoke about you. It means a lot that you're here."_

_He smiled sadly at her, "My name is Emmett. And I'm here if you need anything."_

_Her heart stuttered at his sincere tone. She shoved the feeling aside, and stayed at the grave-site, with Emmett keeping her company._

* * *

Bella jerked out of his arms, and dashed into the bathroom. _Morning sickness._ Emmett relished in the fact that she was pregnant with his baby. Fatherhood was something he thought he would never be able to experience.

His cell phone beeped, alerting him to a new voicemail. The missed calls list showed the station. He called Hodges, "McCarty, here."

"_Need you in ASAP. 507 on the Res."_

"Got it. Meet you there."

Bella stumbled out of the bathroom, groaning and wiping her lips. "Oh, little baby, you don't like mornings, do you?"

He chuckled at her talking to their baby. She crawled back into bed and threw the covers over her head. Emmett ducked under them and pulled her close. She smelled minty. "Brushed your teeth?"

"Ugh, yes. I wasn't going to kiss you with puke breath."

He scrunched his nose, "Yeah, good thinking."

She nudged him and giggled, "You're welcome. Now, where's my kiss."

He smirked and kissed her thoroughly. Bella moaned and rubbed her body against his, making him harden.

"Bells, baby, I can't. Fuck! I have to go into work."

She sighed and hugged him. "Later?"

"Definitely," he whispered as he nipped her earlobe.

She bit her lip and grabbed his erection. "Don't start what you can't finish."

Emmett thrust his hips once, then huffed out loud and pushed himself off the mattress. "I'm going to take a cold shower, and then head to work. I think you should call in sick. The library can survive one day without you."

Bella stood and started to fix the sheets, "Maybe. I have to go though. I wanted to check out any baby books, and I need to go by the hospital to make an appointment with the OB."

Emmett went to her and pecked her lips. "Let me know when it is. I'd like to be there."

"Won't people talk?"

He weighed out how she would react if he just said what he wanted to say. _Well, if she gets mad, I'll deal with it._ "I don't care if people talk. I'm divorcing Rosalie, and it isn't like the gossips in this town haven't known about my marriage problems for months now."

Bella shrugged, "I don't really care either."

"Alright then. It's settled. Call me if you need anything. Gotta run before Hodges hands me my ass for being late."

Bella watched him walk to the bathroom. He had a nice ass. Who could blame her for enjoying the view. She bounded down the stairs, her mood light and carefree.

A knock on the door startled her. She glanced at the clock, a little after 7:30 in the morning, Hodges must have gotten tired of waiting. She yelled for Emmett, "McCarty! Get a move on! Hodges is here!"

Bella opened the door, "Sorry. He's in the-" the words lodged themselves in her throat.

"Hello, Isabella," Edward's crooked grin stared back at her.

_What the hell was he doing here?_

* * *

Story is moving along. Next update in a couple of days. Un-beta'd.

Quote from, _The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul_

Codes: _10-4 (acknowledged), 211 (armed roberry), 507 (public nuisance)_


	8. Confrontation

Side Note on bottom.

* * *

_Previous Chapter..._

_A knock on the door startled her. She glanced at the clock, a little after 7:30 in the morning, Hodges must have gotten tired of waiting. She yelled for Emmett, "McCarty! Get a move on! Hodges is here!"_

_Bella opened the door, "Sorry. He's in the-" the words lodged themselves in her throat._

_"Hello, Isabella," Edward's crooked grin stared back at her._

_What the hell was he doing here?_

* * *

**"_Anger is a brief madness." ― Horace_**

* * *

Emmett jumped out of the shower and rushed with his uniform. "Coming, Hodges!" He double checked the safety on the gun, then jogged down the stairs tugging at the last buttons of his shirt.

"_Are you alright, Isabela?"_

He recognized that nasally voice. Bella's face was devoid of color as she stared at her ex-boyfriend. Emmett went up to his brother-in-law and glared down at him, "What the fuck are you doing here?"

Edward chuckled and leaned against the doorway. "Aren't you going to invite me in, _Emmie_?"

Emmett loathed the nickname Pansyward tried to stick him with. He snatched the asshole by the collar and jerked him out to the front yard.

"I asked you a fucking question."

Edward smoothed the wrinkles on of his shirt and narrowed his eyes at Emmett. "Is that how it's gonna be? I came here to talk to you, not steal your girl from you."

The larger man ignored the insignificant comment and loomed threateningly over the shorter man. "Answer me, dickhead."

Edward rolled his eyes and huffed in irritation. "Your _wife _came to see me. She mentioned Bella. I came to ask Bella why Rosalie would have it in for her, saw your cruiser, and it isn't rocket science from there. She is not taking the separation well. I tried to convince her to go be happy, but we both know she does not like to be left."

"What the fuck does that have to do with me? She's got her guy. We haven't been husband and wife in over a year."

"Which is what I told her, in a nutshell. I hope she listens, but I have a feeling she won't."

Emmett heard the retching from the yard. Bella's nerves were probably frayed after seeing Pussyward. He was about to tell the fucker to meet him somewhere else, noticing they might be attracting too much attention out in front of the house with cars driving by, when the asshole had the nerve to snicker while gazing at the house in amusement.

"What the hell is your problem?"

Edward shook his head and smirked, "So she's pregnant? She always did talk about wanting kids and a family."

Emmett yanked him forward, again by his collar, ripping it in the process, "How did you know?"

"Jesus, Emmett! Get off me," he pushed him back and glared at him, "You're buying me a new shirt. As far as how I knew, come on, it's easy to tell she's got a bun in that oven. She's glowing and her breasts have gotten-"

Emmett's fist collided with Edward's jaw, knocking him on his ass.

Hodges cruiser turned into the driveway of the house. Edward dusted himself off, his entire cheek flamed and bruising along his jawline. Hodges got out of the vehicle and went up to Emmett. "Problems, McCarty?"

He examined his knuckles, "Nope. Cullen here was leaving. Weren't you?"

His brother-in-law nodded, "Yes. There is a diner on the outskirts of La Push, meet me there later, Emmett. We need to finish talking."

The two policemen made sure Edward was well on his way down the road before walking into the house. Bella sat at the dining table, gnawing at her nails, wondering if Hodges made it yet.

As soon as Emmett made his way in the house, she jumped up and hugged him. "Why was he here? Are you okay? What happened to your hand?"

Hodges smacked Emmett on the back. "You got five minutes. Collins has the res situation handled for now, but he needs back up and we got paperwork to do at the station." He squeezed Bella's shoulder as he was heading outside, "Bella, good to see you again. You should come by the house, Kate sure could use the company."

Bella smiled at him, "I'll call her and make plans."

Emmett kissed the top of her head. "I gotta get going, Bells. I promise I'll tell you everything tonight. I'm meeting with the prick at the diner later on to get the full story. Be careful. Rosalie knows something is up, she mentioned your name to Eddie."

She sighed, picked up his hand, and kissed it. "I'll stay home. I can call work, and then make an appointment for tomorrow."

Emmett felt like he could take a true breath, inhaling in relief. He wasn't sure what was going on with Rosalie, and he did not want to risk Bella and the baby. He should have been more cautious. Somehow, she found out about Bells. _Did she know about the baby too? Would Edward tell her?_ Too many goddamn variables, and he hated each and every one of them.

He resolved to make sure that Eddie boy wouldn't run his mouth to Rosalie... no matter what it took.

* * *

_Late. Apologies. Holidays and College. Finally on a break after the Christmas fiasco. Thanks for reading. :)_


	9. Broken

Note on bottom.

* * *

"_**The one you love and the one who loves you are never, ever the same person." ― Chuck Palahniuk**_

* * *

Quil took his time riding down to Forks, enjoying the scenery and fresh air. He could not wait to surprise his girlfriend by coming over earlier than expected. He asked his foreman, Jake, if he could take the rest of the day off. Quil was a hard worker and one of the best men in the crew; so he knew Jake wouldn't have issues with him leaving early.

Before Rosalie he was not the type of man to settle down with one woman or do any of this spontaneous shit. Then, she wormed her way into his heart and changed him. He grinned when he saw her house come into view, but it quickly turned into a frown when he saw a strange silver car parked in front.

He sat in his truck for a few minutes and wondered if he should just leave; however, the pissed off, dominant side of him came roaring out. Fuck that. If she was cheating he wanted to know about it. _Better to see it with your own eyes than from someone else's mouth._

He could be wrong. This could be a friend and he was getting six shades of pissed the fuck off over another chick. Quil took a breath, picked up the flowers on the passenger seat and attempted to straighten out his hair.

When he neared the door, he could hear the screaming match inside. A man and a woman...

"_She took him from me! Why can't you be like any other brother and back me up on this?!"_

"_Because she didn't __take__ him from you. Fuck, Rose, you weren't being a goddamn wife to the man. You have a boyfriend, you moved on, even I can see that shit!"_

"_Go fuck yourself, Edward. I was a good wife. For years I lived with him, fed him, fucked him, and tried to give him kids. He couldn't do a damn thing right for me. Hell, he wouldn't even get checked about the kids issue."_

A loud, frustrated noise, _"You loved the idea of children with Em... I don't even know why I'm arguing about this with you. My point in coming here was simple, leave Bella alone. She did nothing to you. I'm not pissed at either of them. How come I can see the bigger picture and you can't?"_

"_Because it's not fair!" _Something heavy smacked against the door, shattering on impact.

Quil couldn't take it anymore, he knocked and waited for one of them to answer. The woman inside sounded nothing like the Rosalie he knew. He had to look into her blue-violet eyes, he needed to see the truth in them. He wanted to believe none of what he overheard was true. That she hadn't used him, broken his trust, torn apart her own marriage, and been so selfish with her actions.

The man who opened the door resembled Rosalie, so he assumed this was her biological brother. He appeared apologetic toward Quil, "She's inside," then he exited the home.

Rosalie gapes in shock at Quil's presence. "Hey. I-uh, I wasn't expecting you until later."

"I know," he said as he placed the flowers on her kitchen counter. Now that he was actually paying attention, he could see the subtle decorative pieces a male would have insisted on having in a house. The empty shotgun rack peeking from the nearby closet, the oversized, flat screen tv, the _Sports Illustrated_ calendar on the wall next to the fridge - on Rosalie's hand, a gold ring on her left third finger. She'd never worn it when they spent time together. He knew for a fact that under the ring was the tattoo of a date. She once explained it was the day of her parents death. Assuming it was a sensitive issue, he never pressed her for more information. Now, he wondered if even that was true.

_Just how far did her lies go?_

"You're married," he stated.

She fidgeted on her spot, pointedly refusing to look him in the eyes. Quil neared her and tenderly touched her face, silently pleading her to keep eye contact with him. He wanted the guarantee that for once she was being honest.

Her big, gorgeous eyes swam with tears, "_Yes_," she whispered.

"You lied to me," it was not a question. He craved the confirmation, as much as it may burn him later.

She traced the protruding veins on his rough hands, "Yes."

He nodded once and leaned down to kiss her forehead. "I have to go."

His chest constricted with the bottled emotions swirling inside him. It was not time to let them loose; not here near her. He was in too much pain to think clearly. Her sobs tore at him, but he could not falter in his resolve. He _wanted _to be away from her to sort through his own shit. They could talk another day.

Rosalie watched Quil leave. She had a feeling he heard every bit of her argument with Edward. The little voice inside her head nagged at her - _Karma does bad things to bad people._ _Quil didn't deserve to be second best, and neither did Emmett. It's always about you, isn't it?_

She screamed and flipped over the coffee table...

* * *

_Poor Quil. Sorry guy._

_Side Note: Happy New Year!_


	10. Caution

Note on bottom.

* * *

"_**A man who does not think for himself does not think at all." - Oscar Wilde**_

* * *

Emmett picked up the office phone to call Bella one more time before leaving. He'd been keeping tabs on how she felt, did she need anything, and her stress every couple of hours. It was excessive, he knew this. And she handled it with grace, easing the anxiety that built after the morning's events.

"_Em, baby, I'm okay. Kate came over and we're having a girls day."_

"I have my cell on me. Call if you need anything. I'm headed out to the diner to meet with Doucheward."

Her tittering laugh made him smile. _"Alright. Don't do anything that'll make Hodges late coming home."_

He could hear Kate in the background, _"That's right! I haven't had quality time with my man in a few days. If you fuck this up, I'm sleeping over tonight!"_

"Roger that, ma'am."

"_I'm not telling her you called her 'ma'am'. You know that ticks her off,"_ Bella whispered.

He said his goodbyes before Kate dragged him into a debate about feminism and the word 'ma'am'. Hodges had his hands full with his wife. Emmett glanced around his office once more, grabbed the cruiser keys, and left the station.

* * *

Edward chose to sit at the booth in the back of the diner. The worst thing that grated Emmett's nerves about the kid was the fact that Bella slept with him. It was his own fault for being a jerk and convincing himself he could stay away from her. But, that fucking look on his face every time he saw his Bells was enough to merit a black eye.

He sat opposite Edward and pushed the menu to the side, "I'm not here to eat. Say what you need to say, then I'm outta here."

The kid sported a shit-eating smirk along with a bruised jaw. "You have time to eat."

"I'll eat at home. Get on with it."

He sighed and took a long drink from his coffee. "Quil knows. I think he heard Rose arguing with me. I didn't tell her about the baby. That's on you. I did ask her to leave Bella alone. However, I don't think she's gonna do it."

Emmett rolled his eyes, "Not like she has a fucking choice. Divorce papers will be coming her way soon enough. She can either make this easy, or I can drag her through the mud. I don't want to hurt her, but this is getting ridiculous."

"I agree."

His radio sounded off, Collins again. He dialed the volume down and turned his attention back to Edward. "Was that it?"

"No," he sighed, "I think you need to be the one to tell Rose about Bella being pregnant."

The reaction was instantaneous, he reached over the table and yanked the kid forward by his shirt. "Are you out of your fucking mind?!"

An older, brunette waitress made her way to them and tapped her pen on the table. She raised her eyebrow, "Can I get you boys anything?"

Emmett released Edward and pushed him back. "Coffee to go, please?"

"Sure thing, sugar."

When she returned to the kitchen, Edward glared at him. "You're a fucking neanderthal. Don't mistaken my impassiveness for being weak, Emmett. I can get my hands dirty too. We can take this outside if that's what you really want to do." He rubbed his temples and huffed in irritation, "I don't have any issues with you. Bella's a nice girl, and I was a little concerned about her when it comes to my sister. That's it. Chill the fuck out."

"I'm not telling Rose. She's not right in the head. I saw that when I packed my clothes. For all I know it could set her off and she'll go after Bella."

Edward shrugged his shoulders and stared out the window. "It's your problem now. I did what I could. Now, I'm going back to my life with my girlfriend and steer clear of all of you," he finished the rest of his cup and paid the waitress.

Emmett stayed in the booth for a while after the kid left. _What was Rosalie's deal?_ She once told him if he was not happy with her, she would let him go. He's finding out just how many lies she told...

* * *

Bella hugged Kate and waited until she turned toward the road before she went inside the house. It was nice to visit and have company over. The head librarian didn't mind being alone today. Bella made an appointment for the next week with the OB at Forks General. All in all, she was pleased with the way the rest of the day turned out.

The landline rang once again. She smiled to herself and quickly picked it up. "I told you I'm fine. You know, all this calling is unnecessary, right?"

The line was silent. Bella peeked at the caller i.d. on the receiver... _Unknown_... "Hello? Emmett?"

A feminine laugh trickled through the line. "It's not Emmett, _honey_. I really underestimated the Chief's little girl, didn't I?"

Bella gasped. She recognized the tone in _that _voice. She'd heard it before, when she tried to let Emmett go. "Rosalie. Why are you calling my house?"

"Just confirming a rumor. So, you are shacking up with my husband?"

"If you want to speak to Emmett you have his cell number. Don't call my house again."

The laugh made chills crawl up her spine and a foreboding feeling wash over her. "Or what, little girl? You think you can keep a man like Emmett satisfied for long? He'll come crawling back to me before the month is over."

Bella slammed the phone down and ripped the cord out of the wall.

* * *

Rosalie sat in her car, smiling at the phone in her hand. She looked up in time to see Emmett getting inside his cruiser. _This isn't going to be easy - nothing worthwhile rarely is. _She was never one to simply give up. Quil would forgive her. She knew that. Emmett would be hers again as well. All she had to do was wait.

_You know this is wrong. Why are you doing this to yourself?_

No one leaves me.

Ever.

* * *

Apologies for not updating. I am back, and writing like crazy. Next update will be sooner. Promise.

Quote from, _The Picture of Dorian Gray_


	11. Beginnings

_Note on bottom._

* * *

How did the affair begin?

* * *

"_**Only once in your life, I truly believe, you find someone who can completely turn your world around." - Bob Marley**_

* * *

Perfect weather - windy and rainy. Bella decided to stay late at the library under the pretense of organizing the boxes of used books shipped in from Seattle.

Eight months since Charlie's death and the days continued to seemed both lengthen and shorten. Nothing came easy following the funeral. The drifter, Riley, was arrested and charged with the Chief's murder. He was sentenced to life in prison.

During the trial, and every emotional meltdown in between, Emmett supported her. He became a close friend, her confidant, and the shoulder she fell on to lose herself in grief.

She came to rely on him to be there for her, a constant in the chaos of the world after losing a loved one. She found herself smiling and laughing more as the days passed. Eventually, she realized life went on.

_Until a month ago-_

...

His wife called him during one of his visits. She argued that he should not be seen with a younger girl. It appeared inappropriate.

Bella heard the entire conversation. Emmett is a loud man by nature, and it only magnifies when he is angry. She pretended as though she had not heard the insults the woman hurled at him throughout their call. When he returned to the living room to begin their movie night, she feigned being asleep.

A part of her knew the truth... those feelings she made intense efforts to bury for the man next to her could not be ignored any longer. Whether she meant to or not, she fell in love with Emmett. It was wrong. He was married.

Her decision made, she refused to phone him or send any messages after that night. She would not be the catalyst of a marriage failing.

However, she miscalculated his stubborness. He came to her home - _unannounced_, sent text messages, and attempted any other venue of communication he could think of. She rebuffed him at every turn. In her mind, she was doing him a favor. It did not matter how much she missed him, she had to be the stronger person and walk away...

...

The chime above the library door rang, alerting her to a visitor.

"We're closed! Come back tomorrow at ten," she yelled.

Hard footfalls resounded in the small library. Bella peeked up to see who had not heard her, and her heart lodged itself in her throat. Before her stood a drenched, disheveled looking Emmett, his bright blue eyes dulled, his expression causing her stomach clench.

"What- Why are you- " she breathed deep and closed her eyes, "You can't be here."

"I tried. I really did. But I can't do it," he said, the voice she enjoyed listening to seemed strained.

"I don't understand," she whispered, gazing at him once again.

The large imposing man she grew to adore reached his hand out to caress her cheek. Her pulse quickened, "Emmett... don't..."

"It's too late."

She glanced at his pained eyes as he drew closer to her. His warm hand grabbed hers and rested it over his drenched shirt, the skin tensed under touch. She felt every beat of his heart as it thundered in his chest, "You're in here. All the time. I tried to be the good man and let you go when you pushed me away... I'm not a good man though, Bells. I want you more than I've ever wanted a woman in my life."

His cologne made her dizzy with want. He smelled so damn good - like rain and man. She needed him just as much.

They knew it was wrong, and they simply stopped caring. Their lips met, and she was a goner.

* * *

_Thought some history should be given. Updating soon._

_(Timeline: Rosalie began her affair 2 years before Emmett left her. The Chief died a few months after Rosalie's own affair began. Bella and Emmett started their affair 9 months after the Chief died... they have been together for over a year... Make sense? ... Rosalie never suspected Bella, even after Bella "dated" her brother, because she always viewed her as a "little girl"; young, inexperienced, and naive. People only see what they want to see. Emmett, in her opinion, would have never left her - no matter what.)_


	12. Hormones

Side Note on Bottom.

* * *

"_**You don't love someone because they're perfect, you love them in spite of the fact that they're not." - Jodi Picoult**_

* * *

- One Month Later -

* * *

Bella hovered over the toilet, pleading her body to be forgiving. Every night, morning, and afternoon she spent in the bathroom. Food lost all its allure; except for water and crackers. She glanced at her watch and groaned in exhaustion - _another doctor's appointment_.

Emmett's suffocating presence lessened when she promised she would make an appointment with the OB to be certain she wasn't losing too much weight; and, to have assurances on the baby's health as well. If he didn't leave her alone and go to work, she promised she would change the locks on the doors and ban him from entering the house. Excessive? _Definitely_. Necessary? _Extremely_. The pregnancy was taking its toll on her emotionally and physically; but his constant shadowing was making it worse.

She realized, in some part of her mind, it was a good thing he wanted to be involved in all things to do with Baby Mac - a nickname he gave _him_ because he thought it was cute - and it was great... to a point... and then her hormones kicked in. _The bad ones_.

Needless to say, his new best friend became the couch.

The cell phone buzzed in her pocket just as she grabbed onto the side of the tub to hoist herself up. After the Rosalie incident a month ago, Emmett got them both new cell phones with new numbers, and he changed the landline number, requesting the privacy option. Isabella Swan was no longer in the local phone book, nor was she on .

"Yes, Em?"

"The appointment is in an hour. Did you remember? Are you okay? Do you want me to come with you?"

Bella rubbed her eyes and stared at her reflection in the mirror. She looked like crap. She was sweaty, her hair was matted and in a hundred different directions. She could see she had indeed lost quite a bit of weight. This could not be healthy for a baby.

"Bells! Are you there? Answer me, baby!" he panicked, _again_.

"Jesus Christ, Em! I'm here! What?! What do you want? I know when my appointment is, I'm not a fucking moron!" she hollered into the phone and threw it on the floor, stomping on it repeatedly.

Her hands shook, her heart beat erratically, and her face flushed making her even hotter. It didn't feel like her body was hers anymore. She loved Baby Mac, so much; but she had no clue pregnancy involved all this.

* * *

Emmett carefully put the cell in the drawer, then breathed in deeply to control his ire. Bella continued to shut him out. She kept all her emotions bottled up, and then went ballistic when they overwhelmed her. He tried to be understanding, helpful, and do as much as he could around the house; but fuck, he needed a break too.

On top of everything else, Rosalie refused to sign the divorce papers; and was conveniently out of town for the next few months - or so she claimed.

He was brought out of his musings when Collins knocked on the door to bring in yesterday's evidence log. Emmett glanced at his co-worker - Collins had a family, new baby, same wife for over 15 years - maybe he was the guy to talk to.

Hodges and Kate didn't have kids. Kate wanted to adopt one day. Hodges was in complete agreement with her. They both came from broken homes; Kate having lived in foster care most of her life, and Hodges parents adopted him when his mother gave him up at birth. They wouldn't be able to help him deal with a pregnant, hormonal woman.

Emmett pointed at the seat in front of his desk, "Hey, you got a minute?"

"What's up McCarty?" He grabbed the chair and made himself comfortable.

"Fuck, where do I even start?" Emmett chuckled. "Bella is pregnant, close to the end of her first trimester, so I don't feel like I'm jinxing the baby by talking about him."

Collins smiled, "Congrats man. I'm happy for you."

"Thanks... the thing is, she's been - for lack of a better description - fucking crazy. One minute she's content, the next she's crying or pissed off. I can't even remember the last time we slept in the same bed without her complaining about everything under the sun. Is this shit normal?"

Collins laughed until he could barely breathe. Emmett glared at him and waited for him to get over his cackling fit. "You done? Can you tell me if this is normal or if I have to ask the doc to medicate Bells just so I can hold the mother of my baby." Sarcasm dripped from his words... then he wondered if that was even possible...

His co-worker sobered up, "Come on, McCarty. You can't be an asshole about this. Kim was the same way when she was pregnant. They tell you the first trimester is the worst, but that's not necessarily the truth. The whole damn experience can go from bad to amazing to a nightmare. You just gotta roll with it. Be her rock. She'll push, bitch and moan about you being around; but in the end, she doesn't mean it."

Emmett sank back into his chair, "You're telling me that it's not gonna lessen at all? That she's gonna keep being bipolar?"

"She's not bipolar. She's incubating another human being. It takes a lot from them. We did the easy part - knocking them up. Now, you gotta grit your teeth and bear with her."

Emmett ran his fingers through his hair and sighed, "Looks like I'm going to be talking to you a lot more. Think you can handle that?"

"Not a problem. Just remember, the end result is what matters. You'll have your baby in your arms, and the woman you love at your side. Trust me when I tell you, nothing in the world beats that feeling."

* * *

Bella stared at the blippy screen. Dr. Clearwater brought out the ultrasound machine to get Baby Mac's measurements.

"Can you point him out?" Bella asked.

Dr. Clearwater beamed at her, "Of course."

_Always so damn happy._ Bella's thoughts made her cringe. _When would this __horrible__ moodiness be over already?_

"That right there... is a tiny arm... and here, that organ pumping away is the heart... Let me see if we can-" she grinned at Bella as the sound of an incredibly fast heartbeat filled the room. "That's your baby's heartbeat. Strong, 150 beats per minute."

Bella's eyes watered, "That's him?"

Dr. Clearwater continued moving the instrument on her stomach, "Yes, that's him. Although we won't know if Baby Mac is a he or a she for a couple of months."

Bella gazed at the screen quietly while the doctor wrote down measurements and moved the wand-looking thing. "Is the baby okay? I mean, does he look normal?" A quiet doctor made her nervous.

"Yes. Everything is right on schedule. I'm going to print you a picture to take home." After a few more minutes, the doctor flipped through Bella's chart, "I'd like to talk to you about your weight."

Bella immediately began to panic. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, sweetheart. It's perfectly normal to lose weight during the first trimester with the morning sickness and sensitivity to foods. However, from now on, during the days when you cannot handle solids, I'd like for you to try a smoothie made of fresh fruits and yogurt. If this is a problem, we can explore other options. You need to keep healthy for yourself and the baby."

She listened to the rest of Dr. Clearwater's advice, all the while crying uncontrollably. She missed Emmett. She wished he were holding her hand, calming her fears away. The OB gave her a hug then left to give her privacy so she could clean the goop off her belly and get dressed.

Bella took the phone out of her pocket, checking to see if Emmett called or messaged her. Just as she began to cry harder at seeing no missed calls, the door creaked open.

"One day, hopefully soon, you can stop crying when you see me."

Bella rushed to Emmett and jumped on him, wrapping her arms and legs around him. He held her close, peppering the side of her face with soft, apologetic kisses. "It's okay. I'm here. I'll always be here for you - even when you scream and get crazy. I love you, babe."

She soaked his neck with her tears and held on tighter, "Love you too, Em."

* * *

_I know__;__ no Rosalie. Don't worry. She's... around._


	13. Unexpected

Disclaimer: Do not own Twilight. All things Twilight Saga related belong to Stephenie Meyer.

* * *

"_**Expect everything, I always say, and the unexpected never happens." - Norton Juster**_

* * *

- Two weeks later -

* * *

Bella smoothed Emmett's shirt down, and rearranged his crooked tie. He tugged at the collar, pleading with her once more, "Do I have to go?"

She softly smiled at him and kissed his cheek. "Yes. It's the P.D. and Firefighters Ball; _and _you are being honored tonight."

"You're not going though," he pouted adorably.

Bella giggled and pecked his bottom lip. "I'm too tired, Em. I barely have the energy to stay up most days. You're getting an award, babe. I'm proud of you... besides, this will give you a chance to hang out with the guys."

He grumbled under his breath about too much testosterone in one place and Bella laughed sweetly. He loved her carefree demeanor tonight - another reason why he did _not_want to go. She was rarely like this anymore; but when she was, it made him incredibly happy.

"Come on, Bells. Please?" He gave her what he hoped was a pathetic look to convince her. She shook her head and nudged him back.

"That's not gonna work tonight, McCarty. Now, get that sexy ass outta here and go have some fun. Call me if you're going to be late. I love you."

He stole a few more kisses until she all but kicked him out.

* * *

Newton raised his glass, and picked up the microphone, "We are here tonight to remember those we've lost, to celebrate the honorable mentions, and to enjoy some delicious food courtesy of Sam's wife, Leah Uley's diner."

Everyone raised their glasses as Newton continued, "To McCarty. You're one hell of a cop, a good man, and I know you'll make a damn fine Chief. Here, here!"

Emmett was anxious to get home and give Bells the great news. The award was actually a promotion to Chief - a spot in the force that had been kept, temporarily, by a Port Angeles Sheriff. It was decided, after Charlie Swan, they wanted one of the department to prove his worth and be promoted to Chief on his own merit. He had no idea about the results of last week's voting, until now.

Once all the food was devoured, and the other awards handed out, the get-together moved to the bar down the street. Hodges and Collins went home with their wives; leaving Emmett with the single guys. They all knew about Bella, the baby, and the fiasco named Rosalie. Emmett laughed heartily when they asked what it was like to have two beautiful women vying for his attentions. "Only one woman loves me, and she was _not_my wife. If there's any advice I can give you all, remember this - the person you marry doesn't always end up being the one you are meant to be with."

"Cheers!"

The new guy, Cameron, stumbled over to Emmett, "Hey, Mac, this hot chick sent you a fucking drink. How the fuck do you do it?" He slid it across the table, sloshing the dark liquid around.

"I'm a one woman man." He chugged the whiskey, climbed on his chair, and hollered to the crowd, "Miss! Wherever you are! Thank you for the Jack, but I am taken! The little woman would have my balls if I didn't make that known-" he toppled over and landed on back. His co-workers chortled, then ordered two more rounds...

* * *

The room spun and Emmett teetered as he made his way toward the exit. It was really late - he needed to get home. He missed Bells already.

When he reached the sidewalk, he whistled for a taxi, flailing his arms around to catch the driver's attention. A dainty hand shot out and grabbed his forearm.

"Home... get home... Bells..." he slurred.

_"Don't worry, I'll take care of you,"_ a feminine voice whispered.

Spots appeared in his line of sight, and the world turned on its axis. Emmett clutched his chest, his heart was pounding. Everything blurred then turned dark, taking him with it, until he fainted...

* * *

Thanks for reading. Update again soon. _(No, he didn__'t die. He passed out.)_


	14. Aftermath

Note on bottom.

* * *

"_**It is wrong and immoral to seek to escape the consequences of one's acts." - Mahatma Gandhi**_

* * *

Emmett groaned in pain, the light flickering in front the window making his dry eyes burn. His stomach lurched, churning the heavy, toxic alcohol in his system. He fell off the side of the mattress and crawled to the bathroom.

Except the bathroom wasn't where he knew it should be at home...

He attempted to glance at his surroundings only to cause the walls to tilt, reducing him to intense gaspings of pain. He violently spewed the contents of his stomach on the carpet. Every pore on his body sweating profusely, he reeked of whiskey.

_Fuck, where am I? _

Inching on all fours to the bathroom, he used the side of the sink as leverage and sat on the lid of the toilet. His thoughts were a jumbled mess, and his heart bore an aching feeling... almost as though he should feel guilty.

_But of what?_

A feminine moan and yawn from the bedroom made his blood turn cold. The oxygen left his lungs, tearing at his esophagus like broken glass.

_No... there was no fucking way..._

"Emmie? Where did you go?" He recognized the voice. He flung off the toilet and lifted the lid, regurgitating the excess alcohol. Tears scorched his eyes. He didn't do it. He wouldn't do that, not to Bella. _Oh, god! Bells! _She must be worried out of her mind!

He stumbled to the bedroom, willing his body to cooperate and allow him to leave as swiftly as possible. Every corner of what he now knew was a motel room pulsed in his vision. He realized he was still wearing boxers, and thanked the heavens for small favors. Locating his pants, he scrambled to put them on; ignoring Rosalie and the words she spit out of her lipstick smeared mouth. He didn't bother looking for the shirt or jacket.

He needed to get to Bella. To explain. Hot tears streaked down his cheeks. A clammy hand touched his waist. "Get the fuck off me!" He jerked away from her.

She smiled, "It's okay. You don't have to go. I already talked to Bella. I called-"

Emmett grabbed her by the shoulders and slammed her against the wall, "What did you say to her?! You... you... fucking bitch!" He spat. "What did you do to me?!"

Rosalie giggled, "I didn't do anything, honey. _You_ did it all."

He let her go, his gut protesting, his head agonizingly thumping to the beat of his frantic heart. "Don't come near me again. Ever. And, if I even smell you near Bella, I'll kill you."

With Rosalie tittering in the background, he stormed out of the room.

* * *

Emmett pounded on the door to Bella's, "Please let me in! Let me explain! God, Bells, don't do this."

His clothes was packed neatly in his bag, an extra suitcase next to it. There was a note hanging off the handle, but he refused to read it.

"I don't know what the hell happened. One minute I was drinking, and the next I blacked out," he spoke through the door. Somehow, he knew she was listening. "It doesn't make sense..."

Her quiet voice flowed through the cracks of the door, _"Read the letter, Em. Go stay somewhere else. I can't..." _her emotional, soul crushing sobs made his entire being hurt.

"Please, just talk to me, babe. I didn't... I don't know what happened," he pleaded.

Collins SUV turned into the driveway. Emmett couldn't look him in the eye. The older man grabbed his luggage and patted him on the back, "Come on. You're staying with us for a little while. We can talk at home. Stress isn't good for Baby Mac, remember? Give her some space for now."

Emmett's balled his fists and struck the wood desperately, rattling the entire thing on its hinges, "You can't leave me! We're having a baby! I love you both too goddamn much."

Kim got out of the passenger side and jogged over to them, "Stop! She's hurting just as much, if not more, than you are. Come home with us. She knows where you are. You can both talk when you're more level headed."

He slumped down, defeated, turning the knob in vain. The suffocating feeling came back, he covered his face and openly cried. "I can't... survive without you."

Leaning against the wall inside the house, Bella prayed he would leave. She wasn't strong enough to continue listening. Luckily, Derek and Kim managed to convince him to go with them. She grazed her fingertips over her belly, "It's just you and me," she whispered brokenly...

* * *

I'll try to keep updates coming weekly - managed three this week - so the story continues to flow.


	15. Time

_Previously..._

_Emmett's balled his fists and struck the wood desperately, rattling the entire thing on its hinges, "You can't leave me! We're having a baby! I love you both too goddamn much."_

_Kim got out of the passenger side and jogged over to them, "Stop! She's hurting just as much, if not more, than you are. Come home with us. She knows where you are. You can both talk when you're more level headed."_

_He slumped down, defeated, turning the knob in vain. The suffocating feeling came back, he covered his face and openly cried. "I can't... survive without you."_

_Leaning against the wall inside the house, Bella prayed he would leave. She wasn't strong enough to continue listening. Luckily, Derek and Kim managed to convince him to go with them. She grazed her fingertips over her belly, "It's just you and me," she whispered brokenly..._

* * *

And now, we continue...

* * *

"_**You cannot find peace by avoiding life." ― Virginia Woolf**_

* * *

Three Weeks Later

* * *

"Okay, let's see what baby is up to today," Dr. Clearwater announced as she rolled in the ultrasound machine. Bella nodded and remained quiet, only answering a question if it was directed toward her. Gone were the excited moments of sharing this with the man she loves. All she wanted was to finish here so she could drive straight home.

She made sure to keep her appointment a secret from Derek and Kim. It wasn't that she did not trust them; she just knew Derek wouldn't keep his mouth shut about an appointment concerning Baby Mac.

"Hmmm..." the doctor scrunched her nose and waved the wand in multiple directions.

Bella's tried to reign in the panic, but failed miserably. "What? Why, _hmmm_? Is there something wrong?"

Dr. Clearwater forced a smile and continued writing in the chart as well as moving the instrument, "Nothing to stress over, sweetie... I'll give you a few minutes to change."

Something did not sit well with her. _If nothing was wrong, why was she acting strangely?_

Bella quickly dressed and bit at her nails as she waited for the doctor to return.

The door opened, and in stepped her obstetrician with another nurse as well. Bella's pulse raced, deafening her.

"You have to calm down. Stress is not good for the baby." She soothed her back in a comforting manner. All it did was remind Bella how alone she truly was, and how much she missed Emmett.

The flood gates opened. Her gut wrenching cries drowned out the commotion in the room. The carefully structured walls protecting her heart deteriorated as soon as the first tear slid down her cheek.

* * *

Emmett played with the number 2 pencil, peeling away the wood from the lead. The therapist, patient as ever, allowed him to mull over the question. They'd been stuck on this since yesterday - _was he still angry at himself?_

He knew he had _mild _anger issues. He was a jealous, proud man by nature. His father was like this, so was his grandfather, and so on. McCarty men were faithful, dependable, strong, proud men with a jealous streak.

The day after Bella kicked him out, he lost it. His entire world turned itself upside down overnight, and he had no idea how to handle the chaos. The swirling emotions that bubbled underneath were restrained. He refused to feel sorry for himself. So, he threw himself into the one thing he was good at, his job. His social life became non-existent.

Two weeks ago, while at the store, he bought a notebook and began to write. Most of it was ramblings. Yet, if the odd page was turned, you could find a letter to Bella. Apologizing. Pleading. Begging.

Kim saw him writing one day, she suggested he mail these letters to her. He said no, and drove to the gas station to pick up the Forks Classifieds, looking for a place to live... Kim stopped trying to give him unwarranted advice. Collins knew to leave him to his thoughts. Assuming all Emmett needed was to process... unaware of the simmering volcanic emotions ready to burst...

.

.

.

During a call to the park near the high school, possible dealer near school grounds, the suspect got smart. Emmett was tense, pissed off, and repressing a lot of shit. A bold, lippy fucking pot smoker was the last thing he needed.

Unfortunately, the perp opened his mouth again, causing Emmett to see red. "Fuckin' pig. Always trying to fuck with people. Can't control shit in your own house, so you gotta go around being a bitch-"

Newton barely had a chance to turn around when Emmett pounced on the asshole. A flurry of movements proceeded as Emmett beat the guy to a bloody pulp in nanoseconds. By the time Newton finally managed to wrap his arms around Emmett's torso and haul him backwards, the dealer spit out three teeth and fainted.

The consequences were instantaneous. He was the new Chief of Police. His responsibility outweighed that of the others in the force, and he was to set an example. The Mayor expressed concern, and was quickly appeased by Hodges, Newton, Collins, and the rest of the staff at the station. They knew Emmett - this was a slip. A lot of promises and ass kissing later, it ended in a compromise. See the referred therapist for "_issues_".

One day a week session advanced to a three day a week session after the first visit. There were many things Emmett did not deal with well. From Rosalie and their marriage, to Bella and Baby Mac.

Dr. Williams tapped his pen on the table, annoying the crap out of him. "If you don't deal with these issues, how can you expect to resolve your internal conflict?"

"Look, I'm not mad anymore about my failure as a man, at protecting Bella, or even my poor excuse of attempt at being married. I was at first, especially once I found out about the boyfriend. But, I fell in love with Bella. Spending time with her, being there for her - she is my best friend... or she was..."

"Have you spoken to her?"

"No. She stopped shopping in Forks, and she quit working at the library. There's not much about her that I do know anymore. I fucked up. I don't expect her to ever forgive me."

This was the most Emmett had spoken on the topic of Bella during their sessions. Usually, it was short-to the point comments. He felt like he was betraying her trust by sharing their intimate moments or any of the conversations they shared.

However, the therapist took this as a sign to carefully push further, "What did happen that night?"

"I don't know. I blacked out."

"Don't you find that odd? You're a large man, Emmett. How many drinks did you have?" He asked while scribbling something in his folder.

"The last drink I can remember having, coherently, was the fifth. It was Jack D from... from this lady. One of the new guys said she asked him to give it to me." Emmett rubbed his temples, frustrated that he could not for the life of him recall the rest of that horrible fucking night.

The therapist glanced at the clock on the wall. "Time's up for today. You're making progress. It may not seem like it, but you are."

Emmett snorted out a laugh and stood up, "Doesn't feel like it, doc. See you next week."

* * *

The cell phone vibrated in his cup holder at the red light before the exit to the Collins' house. He maneuvered the wheel and answered it, "McCarty."

"_Em..._" Bella's sniffles and gasping breaths created a knee jerk reaction. He swerved to the side of the road and inhaled deep, exhaling through his nose - like the therapist taught him to do if he felt anxious. He hadn't heard from her since the day she kicked him out.

"What's wrong, Bella?" he asked in a very soft tone. Not wanting to startle her, or scare her off in any way.

He heard women in the background, pleading with Bella to calm down. "What's going on? Are you okay?" Then it dawned on him, the only other reason she would be calling, "Oh, god. The baby..."

Dr. Clearwater took the phone from her. "Mr. McCarty, I've been trying to get a hold of you for the past hour. I understand that your situation has changed romantically, but you were her emergency contact. I need you to come to the office, please. I feel both of you should discuss this as parents; and she is not allowing me to properly explain-"

He didn't need her to say anything else, "I'll be there in 10 minutes. Tell Bella I'm coming."

* * *

Note:

_Normally I have at least a pre-reader, but she was out for the day, and I was anxious to start the weekend postings. See you again tomorrow._


	16. Solace

Note on bottom.

* * *

"_**Hardship may dishearten at first, but every hardship passes away. All despair is followed by hope; all darkness is followed by sunshine." ― Rumi**_

* * *

Emmett stood in front of the door leading to Sue Clearwater's office. He knew Bella was in there with the doc, and he was scared shitless. _Deep breaths, Bella needs you to be strong right now. _

He turned the handle only to have it yanked open and Bella launch herself at him. Dr. Clearwater smiled warmly at him, "That's the most reaction we've been able to get out of her since I tried to talk to her earlier."

He wrapped his arms around her, being careful of her small bump. "I'm here, Bells." He ran his fingers through her hair, all the while whispering soft, comforting words. He leaned down and hooked his arm under her legs to pick her up.

She snuggled in close to him, emotionally and physically drained. She knew it may have seemed dramatic, but the idea that Baby Mac was not alright spiraled everything out of sync. She needed her world right again and for that to happen Emmett had to be there with her.

He sat on the chair opposite the doctor and nodded his head for her to start talking. Dr. Clearwater picked up the chart on her desk and reaffirmed what she needed to say, "Bella, I want you to keep calm. I had nothing daunting to tell you. I thought you both should be aware that your amniotic fluid levels were a little lower than I would like."

Bella and Emmett clung to each other, relieved that their baby was alright.

"I am recommending bed rest for you, Bella. Also, instead of seeing you once a month, you will be coming in every week for a month, then every two weeks. The amniotic fluid levels are not alarmingly low. So, no stress. We will cross any bridges as they come. Any questions?"

Emmett tightened his hold on Bella, "Will she need someone to stay with her?"

"Ideally, yes. I will leave you two to discuss that. The important thing is to keep baby and mommy in good health. This means," she continued, staring directly at Bella, "no stress."

Bella nodded, and buried her face in Emmett's shirt, breathing in the unique scent that was his own. She missed it, so much. Whatever else was said between Emmett and Dr. Clearwater, she didn't hear. The only thoughts that rang clear surrounded Emmett and how much she needed this closeness.

He carried her to the car, maneuvered her in the passenger seat, and they drove to her house. She remained silent, thinking about the events of the day, Emmett coming to her when she needed him, and how happy they were before Rosalie ruined everything.

She'll never forget what _that _woman said.

* * *

_Bella finished drying her hair and began to braid it. Lately, she'd been extremely hot when laying in bed. The cell vibrated against the night stand. She smiled seeing Emmett's name. _

"_Hey babe."_

_A female giggled snapped her out of the dreamy, loving state she was in. Who the fuck-_

"_No, it's not babe," the bitch on the phone spat out the term of endearment, "in fact, I don't think you should call him that childish nickname anymore."_

_There it was, the tone... Rosalie. What was she doing with Emmett's phone?_

"_Did you steal his phone?" Bella went to the closet to grab some pants. If she had to, she would press charges for stealing private property. _

_Rosalie cackled as though Bella were a comedian, "Little girl, you really have no idea, do you? Such blind faith in Emmie. Did you really think he wouldn't come crawling back to me?"_

_A groan in the background made her cease all movements... it couldn't be..._

"_Home... need home," It was Emmett, slightly groggy, but it was him. Bella held onto the dresser, scared to let go. _

"_What... I don't understand," she whispered, forgetting that Rosalie was on the other line. _

"_There's not much to say, girlie. He's home now. I'm sure you'll find someone else to move on with. Oh, I really should go. You know how starved for attention Emmie can be." She giggled and hung up on Bella. _

_It hurt. Her heart hurt. Her entire chest was in pain. She carefully placed the phone on the dresser and went to the bed to lie down. A shredding sensation overwhelmed her, as though her soul were being ripped from her. She closed her eyes, praying for sleep to claim her..._

* * *

Emmett ran to the passenger side of the vehicle and carried her to the house.

She needed him. She couldn't deny it, and she was not sure if she even wanted to anymore. Pushing aside the other questions that demanded answers, she whispered her request, "Stay with me. Please?"

He kissed her forehead, "Okay," and walked them up to her bedroom.

* * *

Note:

See you again soon.


	17. Compromise

_Do Not Own Twilight. _

Note on bottom.

* * *

_**"Love is needing someone. Love is putting up with someone's bad qualities because they somehow complete you." ― Sarah Dessen**_

* * *

Emmett lay next to the woman he adored, gazing at her peaceful, wildly beautiful face. Her mouth partially open, the light snoring was the only noise in the room - it felt like absolute heaven to him. He couldn't remember the last time he was so at ease.

Her eyelids fluttered open, and she smiled. His heart constricted at the sight. He missed her so much. She scoot closer, reaching her hand out, tracing the stubble on his jawline. "_Thank you_," she whispered.

Tears blurred his vision. He blinked them away, not allowing sadness to taint this moment. He didn't know how much longer he would have with her like this. They had not spoken since she left him, and he sure as hell didn't want to be presumptuous and think everything was fixed between them.

So, he tucked the unkempt hair behind her ear, and memorized the curves of her face. "You're welcome."

She grazed her fingernails through tufts of his hair, an expression of longing and adoration on her features. Her bottom lip trembled, her eyes misted over, and his entire world shattered once again. She sniffled, then wiped the runaway tears, "Are you hungry?"

He removed himself from her bed, choosing to stand near the entry. "The doc said you have to keep eating healthy and drink more water. That should help with the fluid levels."

He sounded so clinical. Bella wondered if they would ever get back to where they were. She could see he still loved her; however, the separation had taken its toll on him. He had large, bruised bags under his eyes, and his once hulking build was thinner. She shook her head at him, "You need to eat too, Em."

"Don't worry about me," he replied in frustration.

"Well, I do. Stop being stubborn," she huffed.

"I'm stubborn?" Emmett gaped at her. "You are the most... _fuck_... you are hard headed-"

"If I'm so fucking horrible why are you even here!" she hollered.

He pulled at the hair on his head, focusing his ire on pacing around the bedroom, "Because I love you! When you love someone you deal with their quirks. Did you know you snore? And I can't even find it in me to be annoyed. I think it's fucking adorable. Nothing about you is horrible. _You _are perfect for _me_... and things got fucked up along the way."

Bella wrapped her arms around her torso, cradling the small, rounding of her belly. "I'm still not over what happened with Rosalie."

"I don't even know if anything happened with that bitch. It's like that whole godforsaken night never happened. I can't piece a damn thing together, and if I'm being completely honest, I think she drugged me." Bella gasped in shock. Emmett moved closer to her, reaching out to place his hand over hers. "What I do know is I can't keep doing this, Bells. It's killing me to be away from you."

She nodded and settled into his side, wrapping her arms around his waist. "I can't do it anymore either. I miss you."

"I miss you too," he murmured while pressing light kisses to her hair.

She cautiously smiled at him, "How about we go downstairs, you cook us up some food, and we can take things slow."

Emmett laughed, "Okay. You can talk to me while I cook. I want to know what happened when Rosalie called you."

Bella visibly flinched at the mention of his psychotic wife. He squeezed her tighter, reveling in the feel of her in his arms after being alone for all these weeks. "I know she's a sore topic, but we need to clear the air between us. I want to know what she said to you."

"Can I ask you questions too?"

"Babe, you can ask me anything you want. I've never lied to you before, and I won't lie to you now."

She accepted his answer, knowing that at the end of the day, Emmett was an honorable man. Rosalie preyed on her hidden fears. She would listen to him, he would listen to her, and all she could hope for was a better understanding of where they were headed next. Together, or not, they still had a baby to think about.

* * *

_I know, I'm late. Apologies. Playing catch up after a rough few days._


	18. Stay

"_**Funny you're the broken one, but I'm the only one who needed saving…"**_

* * *

Quil glanced over at the GPS on his phone. According to Jake, the new build site should have been close to the motel. His attention wavered for a brief moment, lingering on the electronic device, and in that instant he did not see the blonde attempting to cross the street. He slammed the breaks, his truck missing the woman by merely inches. His heart thundered in his chest as the adrenaline pumped through him. He parked in the middle of the road and jogged to see if the woman was alright. His eyes widened in shock at Rosalie's physical state.

"Rosalie?" he asked, though he knew it was her. Those blue-violet eyes haunted his dreams and gripped his heart in a vise.

She didn't even see him. She kept walking, a slight stagger to her gait. He approached her carefully, concerned as to what must have happened to her. "Rosalie, what are you doing out here? It's late…" her gaze shifted from somewhere over his shoulder to him. She reached a delicate hand out, grazing her cold fingertips along his cheek. Countless tears stained her cheeks the instant she recognized him. He pushed aside their issues; this was no time to be selfish. She needed someone. That much was clear.

"Do you want to go home?"

She shook her head 'no'. He lifted her into his arms, "I got it. It's okay," he whispered. She wrapped her slim arms around his neck, seeking his warmth, his familiarity. Once inside his vehicle, he tucked her into his side and turned on the heat full blast. He grabbed his phone and texted Jake…

* * *

Rosalie stared at the tile on the wall in the bathroom. Quil ran her a warm bath, treating her as though she were breakable. Perhaps she was. Emmett leaving, his reaction, her obsession, the organ in her chest turning cold at how low she sunk… _Karma was a funny thing, wasn't it? _

Quil eased her out of her clothing, looking away at her nudity. A gentleman even when she didn't deserve it. He took the large cup on the side of the tub and poured water over her matted, dirty hair. Every touch stripped her raw, open, like a gaping wound.

She welcomed the pain.

After carefully washing her, he picked her back up and carried her to his bed. She dripped water along the way, and he did not care one bit. She was distraught, and although she broke his heart, he still loved her. Call him a lovesick puppy, but it was true. Rosalie owned his heart and his soul.

* * *

"Talk to me," he pleaded.

Her dim, lifeless eyes hurt him. He wanted to fix this, to undo what made her like this. It was day four of her self-inflicted catatonia. Quil toyed with the idea of calling her brother, or even her _husband_… he hated that word.

He was so lost in his inner ramblings he did not notice her looking at him. Rosalie wanted to touch his face. She knew this man; this caring, beautiful man who sheltered her, fed her, and adored her… never asking for much in return. Quil was a giver and she abused that aspect of his personality. Her throat constricted at the notion, yet it was true.

He felt her burning gaze and clung to it, "Talk to me, please. Nothing you say will leave this room. I promise."

Her pale fingers traced the lines of the fitted sheet on the mattress. "Twelve years… I was with Emmett for twelve years. Senior sweethearts, Prom King and Queen, and the first of our friends to get married. Twelve years… that's a long time. Isn't it?"

He swallowed back the bile. This was the last thing he wanted to hear, but he asked her to talk. This was a step, even if it was a painful one for him. "Yeah, it is a long time. What happened to you and him?"

"Me," she stated, simple and to the point. "I was angry at everybody and our marriage. I hated him to a point. I just… I can't let go. I don't know why. It's hard… letting go and losing someone… I hate myself for this. For doing what I did. It was as though I couldn't stop myself, if that makes sense."

Quil shrugged, "Nothing is black and white. There are gray areas where sanity has no place."

She gulped in air, feeling the room closing in on her, "I don't want to be like this. I've lied to, and hurt people. How can I be this fucking cruel… this evil…" He stood quickly, knocking back his chair, and picked her up. She clawed at him, trying to breathe through the anxiety. "I'm sorry. So, so sorry."

"Shhh…" he held her close, molding their bodies together. "You can ask for help. I know you; the funny, sweet, pretty woman with a smile that brought me to my knees. You are more than what you believe yourself to be."

She hiccupped, crying harder than she had in a long time. "Will you help me?"

Quil ran his fingers through her strawberry blond hair, "I can't. Not the way you need. But, I can be here for you as a friend."

She closed her eyes, agreeing to do what it takes. She knew her first step – signing the divorce papers for Emmett. She had to let go and forgive herself…

* * *

_Lyric from: Stay by Rihanna (Album: Unapologetic)_

Thanks for reading. Sorry for the delay in updates.


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